


Remembering

by Vesperbat



Category: Another - Ayatsuji Yukito
Genre: M/M, book canon mostly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 22:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10862964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vesperbat/pseuds/Vesperbat
Summary: Teshigawara tries to apologize for the night that everything went to hell, but an apology is the least of Kazami's concerns.





	Remembering

**Author's Note:**

> ... the novel brushed over what happened between them way too casually, so I dug in a little deeper. :P

Teshigawara and Kazami sat on the riverbank for an hour before either of them said anything.

“I’m sorry!” The words exploded from Teshigawara, shattering the silence like a burst gas pipe. Kazami started. Teshigawara’s gaze flickered back to his feet. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, softer.

Kazami stared hard at the horizon. It was a long time before he spoke. “Did we really…”

Teshigawara watched him, wide-eyed. He looked so serious in profile.

“Did I really change that much?”

Teshigawara’s lip trembled. “I’m sorry.”

Kazami closed his eyes and removed his glasses, running a hand over his face. “I didn’t notice. No… that’s not right. More accurately, I didn’t want to.”

“We were always different,” said Teshigawara. “It never mattered before.”

“Didn’t you say you’d be better off without me?”

Teshigawara froze, shoulders rising. “You- you didn’t think I was serious, did you?”

“Well,” said Kazami, inspecting his glasses and wiping them on the edge of his shirt, “that’s the decision you wound up making.”

Teshigawara’s shoulders slumped right back down. Tears gathered in his deep brown eyes. “That’s why I’m trying to apologize. I didn’t think… it wasn’t because...”

“It hurt you.”

“Huh?”

“That I didn’t remember.”

“I...” Teshigawara’s voice was barely audible.

Now, for the first time, a whisper of emotion crept into Kazami’s eyes. “I thought it would be better like that.”

“I don’t get it. Why would it be better?”

The corners of Kazami’s lips quirked almost imperceptibly. He stood and replaced his glasses. “We were going to have to get used to it sooner or later. We’re going to different schools, and we’ve already started to drift apart. If not now, then later...”

“No!” said Teshigawara, getting up and stepping closer. “There’s no way I could forget you!”

“It’ll happen,” said Kazami, tears in his eyes as well. “You were already spending so much time with others… leaving me out of your little adventures. So I played it cool. I gave you your space.” Teshigawara’s hand closed around his. “Ouch- Teshigawara-”

“I fucked up. Really bad.” His tears spilled over, and so did Kazami’s. “I’m _sorry_.”

Kazami took a deep breath. “I know you are… and I get it. You were scared. You thought… but you were mad at me, too. Don’t pretend you weren’t.”

“Well… it did hurt,” Teshigawara admitted.

“It must have been easier to think I was the extra. And you really wanted an answer - a way to save everyone. It was... convenient.”

“No...”

“Teshigawara,” Kazami warned, gently, as if urging a dog to behave.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again, his free hand clutching at his disheveled blond hair. “I... might have let my feelings get in the way.”

“Don’t just keep saying you’re sorry.” Kazami squeezed his hand. “Say you get it. Say you’ll be careful. Say you’ll never let yourself get carried away like that again.”

“I won’t!” Teshigawara grabbed the front of Kazami’s shirt. “I swear I won’t, not for as long as I live!”

Kazami sighed. “I heard you didn’t want Sakakibara to call the police… even though he told you I might still be alive.”

“Shit. He told you that? I- I only-”

“That was pretty cold.”

Teshigawara swallowed back another apology. “Ok. It was cold. I was kind of hysterical.” He looked up hopefully. “Maybe... it was the curse? A lot of people were acting weird that night.”

“… maybe. But you tend to make excuses for yourself, too.”

Teshigawara’s face fell. “What am I supposed to tell you? How can I make it up to you?”

“Just keep yourself in check. Think more. I won’t be around to...”

“But I won’t forget you. I won’t.”

Teshigawara was in Kazami’s face now, still nearly crushing his hand, but Kazami didn’t mention it. “That… would be nice,” he said, trying to sound convinced. 

“Um-” Teshigawara’s eyes widened as he realized just how close they were. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Slowly, haltingly, Kazami leaned in, and Teshigawara let him. Their lips touched.

“This was the other reason I backed off,” said Kazami. He looked down. “I know nothing can come of this.”

With trembling fingers, Teshigawara lifted Kazami’s face, ignoring the confusion that passed over it. He kissed him again, bumping awkwardly against his glasses.

“Not so hard-” Kazami focused all his nervous energy into reaching up and transferring his glasses into his shirt pocket. Otherwise, he might have fainted. “You want to break another pair?”

Cringing, Teshigawara said, “Sorry.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll give you a break.” Kazami swallowed and hoped he could say the rest without his heart stopping. “… if you do that again.” It wasn’t a very good kiss – clumsy, forceful, a little sloppy – but a kiss nonetheless. Just then, Kazami didn’t need anything more. “Naoya...”

Teshigawara flushed and replied, “Tomo.” Kazami’s smile made Teshigawara’s heart ache. How long had it been since he’d seen that expression on Kazami’s face? He gazed at him, transfixed.

Kazami pulled away and dodged when Teshigawara reached for him again. He placed one hand over his thundering heart. “This is moving kind of fast.”

Teshigawara stepped back, but he never took his eyes off Kazami. "At least it's all out there now."  
  
Kazami sighed. "For now. We're probably going to forget what happened."

"Yeah." Teshigawara looked sheepish. "I was sort of hoping you'd forget a little faster."

Kazami knocked him on the head lightly. "I can't believe you."

"I guess I kinda deserved that." Teshigawara rubbed his head. “We're gonna remember this, though. Some of it."

Kazami nodded. "Some."

"We’ll be okay… right?”

“I… think so.”

Teshigawara smiled. They had survived, after all. He was still able to watch the setting sun bathe Kazami in a soft, warm glow. "Yeah. We'll be okay."


End file.
